The Ground
I'd kill to be anything
that could reach
beyond this earth
that could reach
beyond this earth
Given divinity…
while hell
is all it's worth
is all it's worth
I'm the ground,
I've found…
as all are lookin' down
I've found…
as all are lookin' down
But to see themI have to look
upon the sky
upon the sky
And so I feel…
the name of a wise man
scrawled upon
my back
scrawled upon
my back
He thought he was wise,
but I remembered…
but I remembered…
that time remembers
everyone…
everyone…
in spite of
how
we lack
how
we lack
Cemented names,
ashamed…
ashamed…
imprinted
on my back
on my back
are nothing but
a time…
a time…
and a sweet and
lonely fact
lonely fact
that all we'd do
is anything
to get
a bit
of our time back
is anything
to get
a bit
of our time back
"This might as well
be hell", I'd yell,
be hell", I'd yell,
but my voice
would only
crack
would only
crack
Now I feel…
the cane of a blind man
scratch
upon my skin
the cane of a blind man
scratch
upon my skin
And still while being
caned
by him
(and many other men),
caned
by him
(and many other men),
I thought I'd rather
be myself
than to ever
be like them
be myself
than to ever
be like them
I thought I'd rather
be myself
than to have to be like him
be myself
than to have to be like him
"This might as well
be hell", I'd yell,
but
no one's listening
be hell", I'd yell,
but
no one's listening
hospital
on the corner
of my one
undying eye
All except its flames
would ever truly die
on the corner
of my one
undying eye
All except its flames
would ever truly die
now there's gas upon that corner
worth more than
you and I
It's sold on every corner
'til the day we have
to die
worth more than
you and I
It's sold on every corner
'til the day we have
to die
And I'm
just the ground,
I've found
And tomorrow's
just a time
just the ground,
I've found
And tomorrow's
just a time
I see an old day
rising
in the corner
of my eye
rising
in the corner
of my eye
I'm stepped upon,
spit upon,
dawned upon,
and drawn…
spit upon,
dawned upon,
and drawn…
upon.
But that's never really changed
who I'm really meant
to be
who I'm really meant
to be
So with gum upon my shoulder
and ash
upon my mind;
and ash
upon my mind;
I know that I'm much older,
but I'm
just
a victim of our time
but I'm
just
a victim of our time
I'm the ground, they saybut me…
I call me "me"
alleyway, boulevard,
the dirt beneath our feet
the dirt beneath our feet
Thrown upon
this cul-de-sac
Thrown upon
this place
this cul-de-sac
Thrown upon
this place
A cigarette,
some ash,
some trash upon my face
some ash,
some trash upon my face
I'm the ground,
I've found,
but this might as well be hell
I've found,
but this might as well be hell
I would tell ya what
I've seen,
but one can never tell
I've seen,
but one can never tell
I'm an alabaster bastard,
marble in my bones
Lost…
marble in my bones
Lost…
Marble in my stones
Kids…
Kids…
playin with my wits
with
marble in their homes
Lost…
with
marble in their homes
Lost…
upon my skin
Sanity akin…
to losing games
we never thought
we'd ever truly win
Sanity akin…
to losing games
we never thought
we'd ever truly win
"This might as well be hell",
he'd yell---
a child only ten
he'd yell---
a child only ten
Let me lose
or let me win,
but please
just
let it end
or let me win,
but please
just
let it end
I'm the ground,
he'd pound…
in vain upon my skin
he'd pound…
in vain upon my skin
Litter me, literally,
as he overturned some bin
as he overturned some bin
Woken up,
an indigent
swathed upon his gin
an indigent
swathed upon his gin
No chalk upon my walk
No outlines… but again
No outlines… but again
This might as well be hell
as far as
anyone can tell
as far as
anyone can tell
Vagabond
strewed upon
my curb, upon my skin
strewed upon
my curb, upon my skin
Disturbed by all his gin,
slurred, he said
again
slurred, he said
again
"This might as well be hell",
but none
were listening
but none
were listening
I'm the ground,
he's found
his eyes
upon my street
he's found
his eyes
upon my street
alleyway, boulevard,
the dirt beneath his feet
the dirt beneath his feet
But never did he look
at me
deigned or with disgust
at me
deigned or with disgust
We only looked
upon the sky,
as none
were low as us
upon the sky,
as none
were low as us
And so we feel…
the name
of a wise man…
of a wise man…
scrawled upon
our back
our back
But
will time remember
all of us…in spite of
how
we lack?
will time remember
all of us…in spite of
how
we lack?